Small bar with decent seating for the size. Not a lot going on in the way of decoration, just a bar and a bunch of seating. Beer selection is quite nice. A fair amount of their brews with loads of guests. the guys running the bar and the food portion were chill and nice. Not the most attentive but still pretty quick. I had a the philly cheese-steak, which was as close to philly and I’ve had since leaving there. It was real good. Overall, a standup beer bar with good food. I’ll be back for sure.

Monkey Paw sits in residential downtown San Diego on the edges of the Gaslamp District. The building has street parking and is reminiscent of dark and dank English pubs. There are a number of house beers alongside a few guest taps and a fair bottle selection. They do serve food but we did not partake on this visit; I will revisit and try the food. I could hang out in this place quite a while.

Visited on Monday 21/04/14 around 5pm.
Monkey paw is about a 15 minute walk from the Gas Lamp/dwontown area.
Single room dive bar feel, pretty dark, with around 30 taps, perhaps a little over half their own, the rest guest offerings.
Service was prompt and friendly and I got chatting to a few locals, decent vibe.
Tasters available in 4’s.
Well priced.
House beers were decent enough, if some way from being world beaters.
Good for ticks, perhaps not for overall quality, but enough to tempt me back for a second visit in November just gone.

Went here the other night. Great place. It was a Wednesday and the place was crowded by 5:00 but the staff was helpful and quick. Food was good, and the guy that you order from was super nice. Got most of their beers in flights, cheap also. And they had a number of other things that I was able to get in small pours also. Overall, a really pleasant visit. I’d go back.

19 Nov 2014. The location is a bar that has about 30 taps, about 11 were their own beers. long bar with different size and height picnic table style tables. lots of beer paraphernalia on the walls and around the bar. it’s a bit dark and almost has a slightly dirty feel. bar staff was friendly. 4 tasters of their own beer for $6

I hoofed it over here from the City Center trolley stop. It isn’t too bad of a walk. The space was pretty full for an average Tuesday at 5:30. This day you needed to figure out a place to hunker down and then slip into the bar area to try and make an order. So like many places, that leaves you up to being aced out several times in a row as friends and regulars are served before you. There was a nice mix of house offerings as well as other good local stuff. I love how up to date they keep their website tap list, for the most part. Making my beer geekery a little easier. The ales were served in chilled glassware and too cold and mostly in tumblers. Oh well. I’m not sure if flights or sample trays are available, maybe they are, I failed to ask. The food was pretty good where you go to a window/hole to place your order. Due to the location and the problem to just get a beer I’ll likely go elsewhere in the future.

Pretty cool dive style bar, only with friendly service and really nice people. Their beers are ok but they have a ton of other beers too. Food is basic and helps soak up the booze. Very fun, unpretentious place and makes a nice change to the bars near gas lamp!